Les Bons Temps

The themes continue...

Another Tuesday Downton Dinner on a holiday (semi-holiday? I'll take 'em where I can get 'em)...Mardi Gras was too good to pass up. I got some cheap beads and scrounged up some other multi-purpose gold decor and planned a reasonable approximation of a New Orleans menu.

(Disclaimer: while I've got New Orleans roots somewhere in the family, I don't claim to be authentic and I wasn't looking to go all out. So don't judge us for opting out of mudbugs and marchin' the saints in via Pandora instead of a real jazz band.)

Bead "centerpiece" plus a candy buffet for an attendee who is giving it up for Lent

L'entree: Chicken Gumbo

I suspect this is a fair-to-middling gumbo. First, it contains only chicken and sausage--no seafood. This is not a seafood crowd, and I wasn't feeling like investing a seafood budget. Second, it doesn't even contain okra*, so purists would likely object to it being called gumbo at all. But it fit the bill and fed a crowd (with leftovers). Plus, I made a real roux so I am high-fiving myself and moving on. It's a bit more hands-on than a typical weekday recipe, but I think it's justifiable because it gets better after a day or two--so I actually made it on Monday and only had to re-heat on Tuesday, which saved time. 

*"Gumbo" likely comes from the African Congo word for okra, quingombo.

Combine in a small bowl and reserve:

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers

Combine in a large plastic (or paper) bag: 

2 tsp ground red (cayenne) pepper

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

Add and shake until completely covered:

1 whole chicken (about 3 lbs), cut into serving pieces

Whole chickens were on sale at Whole Foods, so we grabbed one of those and had the butcher cut it up.

Add and shake again:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Heat 2-4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet (I did it right in the pot). Add and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Cook in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside.

Add about 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I'd probably have used less), scraping up the browned bits. Whisk in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Now you are making a roux, so pay attention. It's delicate work. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until the roux turns a deep reddish brown--about the color of an old and dirty copper penny. This takes about 5-6 minutes and some furtive Google-imaging to make sure it looks right. I don't have a picture because I was afraid to take my attention away for too long. 

Remove from the heat, add the reserved vegetables, and stir for a minute or two until the roux stops bubbling.

Whisk in 8 cups chicken stock. Bring to a boil, whisking. This takes longer than you think. Your arm will be sore. Hope you've been working out. 

Reduce heat and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 30-45 min.

Remove the chicken from the pot. Allow to cool, remove the skin, and shred off the bone. Stir into pot 12 oz andouille sausage, cut into pieces, and 1 tbsp chopped garlic. The sausage I bought was pre-cooked, so no need to worry about cooking through.

Stir in the reserved chicken meat with 1/2 cup chopped scallions and salt to taste. You may also add Tabasco or a similar sauce, but taste before you do--it's got a kick already. I served over white rice. 

-from Joy of Cooking

Of course, Mardi Gras would not be complete without a King Cake. I briefly entertained the notion of attempting to make one, but then snapped out of it. Whole Foods did just fine. The cake was BYOB (bury your own baby), so I knew where they were hidden and could not participate in the hunt. One sister got the baby, and the other got the bean**.

**The handy insert in the Whole Foods box explained that king cakes have included a bean or coin since at least the 12th century. This bean was a Christmas Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus), an heirloom variety dating back to the 1840's. Many questions remain, including "why??"

not to scale.

Update: Jar Cookies

Basically, the update is that they work and they are delicious. I had a jar left over from the Valentine's dinner, and it was just looking sad all alone. I started to worry, "what if I've sent people home with bum ingredients? Or the cookies taste terrible?" Furthermore, Valentine's M&Ms weren't going to be "in season" much longer (side note: on the day before Valentine's Day, I was in the grocery, and the Easter M&Ms were already out). So I had to make the leftover jar. I followed the instructions I had put on the tag, which I linked to in my previous post, and made a few notes to myself: 

• When making the jars, one has to pack the ingredients in really tightly. Bakerella was not kidding about this. Otherwise they won't fit. This meant they didn't all cascade nicely out of the jar--you've got to stick a knife up in there and work it loose a little, and all is well.
• Bonus! Empty jar when finished. I ran it through the dishwasher and can use it again for more jar cookies (those Easter M&Ms?) or whatever.

You are making something delicious. I just know it.

• Mine required more like 12 minutes in the oven per batch, rather than the 10 minutes in the instructions. Just keep an eye on them at the end, as I'm sure all ovens are different.

• All in all, this recipe yielded over 2 dozen cookies in under 30 minutes. I'd say that makes it a pretty handy thing to have around--you can have dessert for a crowd very quickly with minimal mess.
• And finally, the crucial verdict: I sampled a few to make sure they were not poisonous. It is generally considered poor form to serve poison to guests. I can say that they are as tasty as they are easy...maybe even more so. A big win. 

A Very Downton Valentines

This year, Valentine's Day fell on a Tuesday, making a Very Downton Valentines a no-brainer. This was actually the continuation/evolution of a tradition that began over a decade ago (ouch) in college. Our dear friend the cheesemonger would gather all the ladies, single or attached, and make a lovely fondue dinner. Some new faces are present now that we have relocated, but I wanted an homage to the fromage of yore. This year's cheesy Valentines had a Tex-Mex twist and did not exactly meet the bar of "healthful and/or nutritious." Sometimes girls just need some cheese.

To start: Chicken Tortilla Soup
This recipe was largely lifted from the one on this site, which I found via Pinterest. I'll include it here with the changes I made and my pictures, but I credit the original source. Predictably, I made mine in a...wait for it...Crock Pot.

Ingredients
3 cups chicken stock
2 skinless, chicken breasts
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
4-6 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup tomato paste
8 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
8 oz pepperjack cheese, divided
1 cup cilantro, chopped

All the fixin's.

Add the chicken stock (well, I used broth) to the pot. Heat over medium. 

Add chicken breasts, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Simmer until chicken is cooked through.

They're in there, I promise.

Remove chicken and set aside. 

 

Add tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the pot. 

I didn't worry about mincing as finely because I used an immersion blender later

Simmer about 30 min, until the tomatoes have begun to break down. Add black beans, corn, and tomato paste. Stir to incorporate.

Add the cotija cheese (crumble it) and half the pepper jack. Stir until melty. A note on cheeses: in my grocery store, the cotija was with the "fancier" cheeses (e.g., brie, goat cheese, spreadables) and not in the shredded cheese section. But if my Kroger had it, you can probably find it. Also, I added the cheese before blending this time; I don't remember how I did it the first time. I might blend first, then add cheese the next time I make it.

After it looks like most of the cheese has melted, bust out the trusty immersion blender and blend that baby down. I initially did this because a) it made the consistency more like I wanted it and b) picky eaters (the little sisters) would not recognize offending ingredients like black beans. Or anything resembling a vegetable, for that matter. I suppose you could also transfer to an actual blender, but that seems like way too much work. Finally, I added the cilantro and some tortilla strips and let them soften before blending again. This thickened the soup nicely. Serve with more tortilla strips and pepperjack on top.

For no reason, an arty picture of the cilantro.

The main course consisted of chicken enchiladas. I stayed true to the recipe in The Best Make-Ahead Recipe, so I'm not going to include the instructions. Behold, an enchilada photo montage.

I always forget to take a photo of the finished product. Don't want to get between ladies and their cheesy goodness.

Finally, for dessert, some fabulous Valentine's cookies (by popular request). These are made by a lovely young lady here in town who uses fresh local and organic ingredients. Many times decorated cookies look cute, but taste underwhelming. These are adorable AND delicious! Some of the custom ones she has done for us probably merit their own post someday. 

Because no gathering would be complete without party favors, all the ladies in attendance got to take home Sweetheart Cookies in a jar. As one kitchen-phobic friend exclaimed, "even I can make these!!"

All the dry ingredients are layered together in a mason jar. When you're ready to make them, you just add egg, butter, and vanilla. As we say around here, le voila, y'all!

I printed the instructions on PowerPoint slides (print as handouts, 2 slides per page, and cut out). Punch a hole and tie with ribbon. I used a doily for VDay, but go buck wild. What I love about these favors is that they can suit any occasion--just switch up the M&Ms and the trimmings. I did "Cookies for Santa" at Christmas with the holiday M&Ms and gave them to friends with little kids. The possibilities are really endless, considering that you can order M&Ms in any colors you want. Original post from Bakerella, via Pinterest. 

Go ahead. Take your cookies. 

Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry

As mentioned previously, I'm a big fan of the slow cooker. I like to set it and forget it, if you will. I also find that it's pretty forgiving if you need a little extra time to wait for guests to join or for a break in the chatting. Because it's February, I was looking for a warm and hearty option for a Downton Dinner (circa Episode 5). BA suggested curry chicken, but I didn't want to be hands-on all day. Enter the Crock Pot. I'm all afraid of being accused of plagiarism and whatnot (it's the student in me), so I want to give credit where credit is due. I have amended it some, but this recipe is adapted from the one in this book.

[A brief detour: that cookbook is one of several I have from the same series, all by the editors of Cooks Illustrated magazine. They're called the Best Recipe and basically these chefs are willing to make 50 of every recipe until they find the one that they deem best for the purposes they've identified (one-dish, make-ahead, 30-minute, etc.). If you're in to that sort of thing, I highly recommend them.]

Ingredients
2 medium onions, minced
2 jalepenos, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala (I could not find this at the grocery so did without)
2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups water
1 14-oz can coconut milk (do not sub light or reduced-fat coconut milk)
3 tbsp Minute tapioca
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs--I generally prefer to just use chicken breasts, but the instructions clearly stated not to. I couldn't find boneless, skinless thighs, so I got what they had and removed the skin before cooking. After cooking, the meat shredded off the bone easily.
salt and pepper
12 oz plum tomatoes (3-4), cored and chopped fine
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
lime wedges for serving

Microwave the onions, jalapenos, oil, garlic, ginger, curry, tomato paste, and garam masala together in a medium bowl on high power, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened (about 5 min). Transfer to slow cooker.

Fancy! I suppose this helps keep it a one-dish meal as a skillet is not used.

Stir the chickpeas, water, coconut milk, and tapioca into the slow cooker. 

(This was before I learned how to turn off the flash on the chichi new camera. Sorry.)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and allow to cool slightly. Shred into bite-size pieces. Let the stew settle for 5 minutes, and remove as much fat as possible from the surface using a large spoon (mine didn't have much to remove).

Stir in the tomatoes and raisins, cover, and cook on high until heated through, about 10 min. Stir in the shredded chicken and peas and let sit until heated through (about 5 more min). Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the lime wedges.

Dinner & Downton

Do you watch Downton Abbey? It was suggested to us by BA's mom...in-laws + Masterpiece Classic does not necessarily a TV-success recipe make, but in this case, she nailed it. She usually does. This show's got everything: intrigue, the Titanic, secrets, class friction, fancy clothes, sex (sort of), and a healthy helping of historical fiction. And house estate porn. A little for the gentlemen; a little for the ladies. Anyway, peep it. 

The Season 2 promo shot. It's darker because of the war and stuff.

So we are solidly in to Season 2, which I understand was hastily ordered by the network after Season 1 was a smashing surprise success in the UK and subsequently the US. Hear that, British people? We don't all watch America's Next Top Sex Tape or Donald Trump's headpiece or whatever. Season 2 finds us in the midst of World War I, which I must say did not look like a great gig. Thankfully, I hear it's the war to end all wars. 

Because we are usually at family (and sort-of family) dinner on Sunday nights when new episodes air, Downton is faithfully DVR-ed for later viewing. And because I love any excuse for a party, this viewing takes place on a Monday or Tuesday night when many lady friends gather at our humble estate for lots of M&M eating and yelling at the TV. Sometimes I make dinner. While I envision dinner looking like this, a la Abbey:

 it more often involves a Crock-Pot. A lot has changed in 100 years. My kitchen staff are conspicuously absent. 

All that to say a) you might want to watch the show and b) the purpose of this post is to introduce a series in which I spotlight the details and recipes involved in our Downton Dinners. They're designed to fit into a work day (though I admit I have more flexibility than most), feed a crowd, and be relatively healthful and tasty. Enjoy.